Ubisoft launches internal investigation: "Our goal is not to push any specific agenda."

ToTTenTranz

Veteran
Icon Extra
4 Aug 2023
1,405
1,445
They're not mincing any words here. Turns out whomever goes broke really can't afford to get woke.



In the light of recent challenges, we acknowledge the need for greater efficiency while delighting players. As a result, beyond the first important short-term actions undertaken, the Executive Committee, under the supervision of the Board of Directors, is launching a review aimed at further improving our execution, notably in this player-centric approach, and accelerating our strategic path towards a higher performing model to the benefit of our stakeholders and shareholders.

Finally, let me address some of the polarized comments around Ubisoft lately. I want to reaffirm that we are an entertainment-first company, creating games for the broadest possible audience, and our goal is not to push any specific agenda. We remain committed to creating games for fans and players that everyone can enjoy.
 
  • haha
Reactions: Would_you_kindly

Jivesh1995

Active member
20 Jun 2023
205
308
South Africa
brotaku.net
via Insider-Gaming:

“In the light of recent challenges, we acknowledge the need for greater efficiency while delighting players. As a result, beyond the first important short-term actions undertaken, the Executive Committee, under the supervision of the Board of Directors, is launching a review aimed at further improving our execution, notably in this player-centric approach, and accelerating our strategic path towards a higher performing model to the benefit of our stakeholders and shareholders.

Memo from CEO:

Dear All,

We just issued a press release announcing our revised financial targets for the current fiscal year.

First, Star Wars Outlaws’ initial sales proved softer than expected, despite solid ratings from players that recognized the game’s faithful transcription of the original trilogy’s essence and richness: 76 on Metacritic, 3.85/5 on PS store, ~4/5 on Xbox and 4.4/5 on Epic. While players praise the sense of detail and the beauty of the graphics, the effectiveness of the reputation system, and endearing characters like Nix, some also noted areas of improvement. The development teams are already hard at work on this, focusing on save issues, stealth mechanics, more frequent quest checkpoints, and better NPC AI. I’m confident that these updates will significantly improve the player experience by allowing us to deliver on its promise, and make Star Wars Outlaws a must-play game and long-term seller. In parallel, the Publishing teams and developers are closely collaborating to increase the engagement with the game and boost player acquisition during Black Friday and the holiday season.

In today’s ultra-competitive market, players expect extraordinary experiences and ultra-polished games on Day 1. We need to continue to improve when it comes to fine-tuning our games and delivering outstanding gameplay. This is what will enable Ubisoft to again create the best games in the industry.

Consequently, we decided to delay Assassin’s Creed Shadows to February 14, 2025. The game is already playable and of high quality, and has all the features the team wanted to integrate into this ambitious experience. This unusual decision at such an advanced stage is motivated by our desire to offer an optimal experience from launch on all platforms and various PC configurations, and to remove the small frictions we typically used to address in post-launch title updates. We will also use the extra time to complement the experience with a few high-impact secondary quests that will bring even more memorable.

Additionally, as a result of listening to player feedback on other topics, our new releases, starting with Assassin’s Creed Shadows, will again be available on Steam on launch day, in addition to being available on first parties’, Epic’s and Ubisoft’s stores. Also, we are currently rethinking our Season Pass model for our upcoming games. For Assassin’s Creed Shadows, all players will have access to the game at the same time, and those who have pre-ordered the game will get the first expansion for free.


Beyond the first important short-term actions that I’ve outlined above, the company’s top management will focus on accelerating the improvement of our production, communication, and publishing practices and processes in close collaboration with all these teams, with the objective to put players at the heart of all our decisions. We will regularly update you on the progress we’re making.

Lastly, I’d like to address the recent polarized coverage around our creative choices. We are an entertainment company. As such, our objective is not to endorse any specific agenda. Our mission has always been to entertain players and enrich their lives with original and memorable experiences, that resonate with a global audience.

This setback should not discourage us but serve as a learning experience and drive us to act even more quickly. More than ever, let’s continue to believe in our ability to bounce back, while approaching the challenges we face with lucidity and determination. I would like to thank you for your commitment and to reiterate my confidence in our collective ability to surprise and meet the expectations of a growing number of passionate players in the long term.

Yves

Good lord, hope heads will roll from this because we need these parasites out of the industry

Shameless plug (admins feel free to remove this bit if its not allowed):

 

Gediminas

Boy...
Founder
21 Jun 2022
7,111
8,751

Hatefield

I am the law
18 Jun 2024
366
348
I don't know what to make of this. Is this about outlaws not selling well, or ac shadows being hated by the country that takes place in the game.
 

Nym

Did you like my Glasses, Snake?
21 Jun 2022
1,404
1,191
In the light of recent challenges, we acknowledge the need for greater efficiency while delighting players.

I hate this corporate speak. "In light of recent failures, we have begrudgingly been forced to reconsider exactly what the fuck we are doing"

is launching a review aimed at further improving our execution, notably in this player-centric approach, and accelerating our strategic path towards a higher performing model to the benefit of our stakeholders and shareholders.

lmao so nothing here about quality and focus of games, just "we want to accelerate a path towards benefit for our stake/shareholders"

I hope they go under
 

Alabtrosmyster

Veteran
26 Jun 2022
3,371
2,924
So they will tell us they did not greenlight all the DEI initiatives when they thought it suited them?
 

Cool hand luke

Veteran
14 Feb 2023
2,788
5,024
I don't know what to make of this. Is this about outlaws not selling well, or ac shadows being hated by the country that takes place in the game.
It'll be about Outlaws uglifying its protag and Shadows focusing on an anomaly in Japanese history for its first franchise entry in Japan. It's all very 'contemporary Western'.
 
OP
OP
T

ToTTenTranz

Veteran
Icon Extra
4 Aug 2023
1,405
1,445
this is just bullshit. they have whole internal projects to push specific agendas.
And the board was never going to acknowledge they greenlit those internal projects themselves.

Their solution is as simple as it was predictable: to blame all the agenda pushing programs (as well as their latest hilarious attempts at controlling the narrative) onto lower level directors who they'll claim went rogue and overzealous.


Shareholders are all furious so everything is going through a very fine comb. Unlike EA, Square Enix, etc. Ubisoft can't pretend everything's fine and all the controversies are made by "vocal minorities".
Jason Schreier tweeting how agendas aren't affecting sales performance isn't enough to save them.



The cat's out of the bag. It'll be interesting to see how this resonates with the rest of the industry.
 
  • Shake
Reactions: Cool hand luke

Zzero

Major Tom
9 Jan 2023
3,855
2,232
I really hope they dig into personnel management and cut fat. Its not personal, its personnel, and they just can’t afford to waste anything on boondoggles like BGE2 anymore.

As to the AC issues, I don't think this is about that at all, there are clearly much larger issues at play within Ubisoft than just clickbait culture war stuff.
 
OP
OP
T

ToTTenTranz

Veteran
Icon Extra
4 Aug 2023
1,405
1,445

Internal memo from Guillemot.
Here's the part referring to the agenda:

Finally, let me address some of the polarized comments around Ubisoft lately. I want to reaffirm that we are an entertainment-first company, creating games for the broadest possible audience, and our goal is not to push any specific agenda. We remain committed to creating games for fans and players that everyone can enjoy.”

Here's a list of terms he didn't use in this statement:

- Alt right / Far right
- Bigots
- Loud minority
- Racists
- Diversity / Diverse
- Inclusive


And the access media is fuming because he's giving credibility to the complaints about forced diversity, instead of attacking the gamers.

What a sight to behold.
 

Hatefield

I am the law
18 Jun 2024
366
348

Internal memo from Guillemot.
Here's the part referring to the agenda:



Here's a list of terms he didn't use in this statement:

- Alt right / Far right
- Bigots
- Loud minority
- Racists
- Diversity / Diverse
- Inclusive


And the access media is fuming because he's giving credibility to the complaints about forced diversity, instead of attacking the gamers.

What a sight to behold.
He's not a moron like musk to openly admit he blames the woke for his company stock dropping and his products not selling. But these actions point to that cause they are doing it while having a star wars game with a female lead and a ac game with a black lead in japan. If they were doing this during black flag it will make people think the same cause they made captain kidd into a woman.